Sean “Diddy” Combs was sued in federal court docket Tuesday by a former member of Danity Kane — the woman group he assembled on the MTV actuality competitors “Making the Band” — who's alleging he groped, assaulted and imprisoned her, and threatened her life when she tried to intervene in protection of his then-girlfriend.
Dawn Richard, who was handpicked by Combs to be a member of the city pop band, additionally alleges within the lawsuit that she is owed a number of million {dollars} in unpaid wages from her time with Danity Kane and one other group based by Combs. She is requesting a jury trial. Her legal professional, Lisa Bloom, stated in an announcement Wednesday: “We will not rest until we achieve full and complete justice for Dawn in this case.”
The swimsuit, filed within the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, joins a string of others which have accused Combs of numerous types of sexual assault and misconduct. The lawsuits are filed below the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, which permits folks to file lawsuits over allegations of sexual abuse even after the statute of limitations had handed. Combs, who can be the topic of a federal inquiry, has denied the allegations.
In an announcement Wednesday, his legal professional stated Combs “is shocked and disappointed” by Richard’s lawsuit.
“In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now manufactured a series of false claims all in the hopes of trying to get a pay day — conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour,” Erica Wolff stated, whereas pointing to Richard’s lengthy historical past working with Combs. “It’s unfortunate that Ms. Richard has cast their 20-year friendship aside to try and get money from him, but Mr. Combs is confidently standing on truth and looks forward to proving that in court.”
Richard’s lawsuit says she was “empowered” to come back ahead by the opposite lawsuits, together with the one introduced by Combs’ ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, who's finest recognized by her stage title Cassie. Ventura, who was as soon as signed to Combs’ Bad Boy file label, accused him of rape and repeated bodily abuse over the course of their yearslong relationship, in an explosive lawsuit filed in November. She and Combs settled the swimsuit a day later. They didn't disclose the phrases of the settlement.
“Mr. Combs’ decision to settle the lawsuit does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims,” his legal professional Ben Brafman stated on the time. “He is happy they got to a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best.”
Hours after she filed her swimsuit, Richard and two different former members of Danity Kane expressed public assist for Ventura. But the three ladies didn't share private data concerning the particular accusations against Combs at the moment.
Richard’s lawsuit, nonetheless, stated she witnessed Combs brutally beat Ventura on quite a few events. That abuse included putting Ventura along with his arms and with objects, slapping her, punching her and throwing objects at her, the lawsuit alleges. Whenever Ventura tried to face as much as Combs, in keeping with the swimsuit, he would strike her or wrap his arms round her throat and choke her.
On one event, the lawsuit alleges, Richard witnessed Combs throw a scalding pan of eggs at Ventura earlier than dragging her up a flight of stairs whereas he cursed and screamed. Richard stated Combs advised her after the alleged assault that, “If you say anything, there will be consequences” and that folks “end up missing,” which the swimsuit says left Richard feeling terrified.
On one other event, in or round early 2010, the swimsuit alleges Richard witnessed Combs punch Ventura within the face within the rest room of a celebration in Los Angeles. Some of the instances Combs allegedly abused Ventura, different celebrities have been current, the swimsuit alleges.
According to the swimsuit, Richard tried a number of instances to intervene, supplied Ventura assist and inspired her to go away Combs. Each time Combs realized of her efforts to assist Ventura, the swimsuit alleges, he turned enraged and threatened Richard’s life, telling her that he had the power to make folks disappear and might “end people.”
In May, Combs admitted that he beat Ventura in a resort hallway in 2016 after CNN launched video of the assault, saying in a video apology posted to Instagram that he was “truly sorry” and his actions have been “inexcusable.” The video was later faraway from his web page.
Richard, who lives in California, was employed by Combs from 2005 to 2012, first as a member of Danity Kane and then the group Diddy — Dirty Money, the lawsuit says. It describes a hostile work atmosphere, by which Diddy would allegedly berate and threaten his staff, attend conferences in his underwear, make undesirable advances and withhold earnings.
In her swimsuit, which additionally names Harve Pierre, a former longtime president of his file label, and numerous file labels as defendants, Richard alleges that she is owed $3.3 million in unpaid wages, salaries and royalties from her time with Danity Kane and $1.55 million in unpaid compensation from Diddy — Dirty Money. Pierre didn't reply to a request for remark.
Like different lawsuits, together with Ventura’s, Richard’s swimsuit depicts Combs as violent and controlling. Richard’s swimsuit says that in auditions for “Making the Band,” Combs “spoke to the female contestants in a hostile, condescending manner” and made disparaging remarks, calling them “fat,” “ugly,” “b——” and “hoes.” His hostility and aggression continued after the band was shaped, the lawsuit says, and Combs recurrently used derogatory phrases to discuss with the 5 ladies and denigrated their bodily appearances, together with by telling Richard she was too skinny and that she wanted to “do something” about her face.
Throughout the productions of the “Making the Band” collection, the swimsuit alleges, she and the members of Danity Kane have been disadvantaged of fundamental wants similar to enough meals and sleep.
According to the swimsuit, his extreme calls for included rehearsing for 36 to 48 hours with out breaks, near-constant filming and intense exercises, which led Richard to expertise excessive weight reduction.
To additional assert his energy, the swimsuit says, Combs insisted on holding conferences whereas dressed solely in his underwear, and throughout a gathering in 2008 in the lounge of his Miami residence, when Richard requested him to place garments on, he refused, stating “This is my f——house.” That assembly lasted an hour, the swimsuit says, “causing Ms. Richard to feel violated and embarrassed, and amplifying her feelings of powerlessness.”
While Richard was a member of Diddy — Dirty Money from 2009 to 2011, the swimsuit alleges, Combs repeatedly compelled her to strip right down to her underwear and often made demeaning remarks about her physique. On quite a few events, below the guise of serving to a stylist put together Richard for performances, Combs would additionally barge into her altering room unannounced and grope elements of her physique with out her consent, the lawsuit additionally alleges.
In or round December 2010, Richard alleges she and her Diddy — Dirty Money bandmate have been locked in a single of Combs’ automobiles that didn't have inside door handles for greater than two hours after Diddy lashed out at them for being late. Though the bandmate was ultimately freed, Richard alleges she had to make use of her bandmate’s cellphone to name her father to journey from Baltimore to New York to assist free her. When later confronted by Richard’s father, who stated he supposed to name police, Combs warned him to “think about your family” and “think about your daughter’s career,” in keeping with the lawsuit. The following night, Combs advised Richard to not name her father until she was hospitalized, the swimsuit says.
Frank Richard couldn't instantly be reached at numbers listed for him.
The swimsuit additionally alleges Richard attended events at Combs’ homes, the place she witnessed what she believed have been inebriated underage women being sexually violated by Combs and his visitors. At his “drug-fueled parties,” visitors have been required to give up their telephones, doorways have been locked and guarded by safety, and Combs employed cops to attend, “sending a clear message to guests that his influence extended to law enforcement officers, and creating a climate of fear and a tacit warning that reporting him to authorities would be both unacceptable and futile,” the swimsuit says.
Richard’s lawsuit alleges that, for many years, following his rise to fame, “Combs’ star-studded, larger-than life persona overshadowed his vicious temper and pervasive acts of violence directed toward those in his inner circle — specifically, women.”
Richard is in search of compensatory and punitive damages for misplaced wages and different compensation, in addition to emotional ache and struggling.
